SOLIDS IN GRAVY FOOD COMPOSITION

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method of making a semi-finished pet food as well as such a pet food as part of a process of making a ready-to-eat pet food. The invention also relates to the ready-to-eat pet food. The invention relates to a method of making a semi-finished pet food, the method comprising: from a first source comprising solid food pieces, adding to a package a desired amount of solid food pieces, from a separate second source comprising gravy, adding to the package a desired amount of gravy, wherein the gravy comprises at least 0.5% modified xanthan, at least 85% moisture, and wherein the gravy has a viscosity of 400 centipoise (cp) or below.

Claims

1. A method of making a pet food, the method comprising: from a first source comprising solid food pieces, adding to a package a desired amount of solid food pieces, from a separate second source comprising gravy, adding to the package a desired amount of gravy, wherein the gravy comprises at least 0.5% modified xanthan, at least 85% moisture, and wherein the gravy has a viscosity of 400 centipoise or below.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the package comprises metal and/or plastic.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the solid pieces to gravy ratio is from about 25:75 to about 60:40.

4. A pet food comprising: solid food pieces and gravy, in a package, wherein the gravy comprises at least 0.5% or more modified xanthan, at least 85% moisture, flavoring and wherein the gravy has a viscosity of 400 cp or below.

5. (canceled)

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising subjecting the pet food to a temperature of between 110 C. to 140 C. for at least 15 minutes, wherein the viscosity of the gravy in the pet food after sterilization is greater than 600 cp.

7. The pet food of claim 4, wherein the pet food has been sterilized and wherein the viscosity of the gravy in the pet food after sterilization is greater than 600 cp.

Description

EXAMPLE 1

[0096] The following table shows details of the modified xanthan (in this case hydraxan) and salt concentration of product with the initial filling viscosity in the gravy during the filling process (to form the semi-finished pet food) and the viscosity after sterilisation, that is the viscosity of the gravy in the ready-to-eat pet food.

TABLE-US-00001 hydraxan Salt NaCl Starch Filling Viscosity 2W* after % % % Viscosity (cp) sterilization (cp) 0.7 0.1 5 104 1400 0.7 0.3 5 69 1355 0.6 0.3 0 50 663 0.6 0.1 0 61 615 0.9 0.3 0 156 1945 0.9 0.3 5 156 2492 0.6 0.1 5 71 992 0.8 0.3 5 87 1285 0.8 0.3 0 102 1165 0.7 0.1 0 143 840 0.6 0.3 5 54 760 0.8 0.1 0 159 1223 0.7 0.3 0 80 957 0.9 0.1 5 213 2122 0.8 0.1 5 153 1593 *2w is 2 weeks after production.

[0097] Each of the above products also contained 0.6% of the same caramel, for colouring and the remainder of the product, in each case, is water.

[0098] As can be seen, this table shows that the modified xanthan makes low viscosity gravy, allowing clean and easy filling of the packaging, returning to high viscosity as normal xanthan for end product ready-to-eat gravy aesthetics and functionality.

EXAMPLE 2

[0099] The following table shows details of release information of the ready-to-eat pet food from a package. In each case, the package was the same material, the same size and dimensions and contained a similar, if not identical, amount of product.

[0100] A ready-to-eat pet food according to the fourth aspect of the invention was prepared. In the table below, details are given of the gravy ingredients in making the product. The product was made according to the first aspect of the invention and sterilised according to the third aspect of the invention. In addition to the product details listed below in the table, each product had water as the remaining ingredient. The result produced a ready-to-eat pet food according to the fourth aspect of the invention. The resulting ready-to-eat pet food (according to the fourth aspect) was tested for product release. The test for product release was as defined in the text above which describes a reproducible test method. In the test, the package was held in the upright position (bottom up) for a period of 10 seconds. The delta measurement was achieved by weighing the remaining weight (packaging plus remaining product). In the method, 50 packages of the test were measured each, in comparison to 50 packages of the control.

TABLE-US-00002 Pouch Release Product Category control (4% starch, 0.1% xanthan) C 0.9% hydraxan, 0.3% salt B 0.9% hydraxan, 0.2% salt A 0.9% hydraxan, 0.1% salt A 0.75% hydraxan, 0.3% salt, 0.5% starch B Category details: A: Pouch release of 60% or over B: Pouch release of 50% or over C: Pouch release of 40% or over